Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Females

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent finding that only one per cent of HGV drivers are female; and what plans they have to address this situation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is aware of the demographic imbalances in the HGV driver workforce including the lack of women drivers, under 25s and drivers from ethnic minorities. Addressing these issues and creating a workforce that will better reflect society will be key to permanently solving the driver shortage. This will be for the industry to lead but the Government will continue to support where it can, such as improving the accessibility of facilities for women drivers and increasing the provision of overnight lorry parking.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Driving Tests

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the wait time for Category C + E driving tests.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is supporting the Government’s wider plans to address the shortage of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers and conduct more HGV driving tests. Since vocational testing restarted, following the easing of restrictions, the DVSA has been making available an average of 3,000 practical vocational test slots each week; this compares to 2,000 tests pre-pandemic. The DVSA is asking all those qualified to conduct vocational tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, offering a national recovery allowance and annual leave buy back to examiners, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays and weekends). Following a public consultation, the Government is implementing a number of measures to significantly boost HGV driving test availability by:eliminating tests to tow a trailer;streamlining the process of securing a licence for certain vehicles;speeding up the HGV driving test itself by removing the off-road manoeuvres element (reversing exercise) and allowing it to be assessed separately by the driver training industry. This will free up more DVSA examiners to increase testing capacity by 50,000 tests a year.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they hold on the effectiveness of the MOT in preventing road accidents.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) collects data on the proportion of vehicles presented for MOT tests that fail, as well as the most common defects that are detected. Last year, 29.9% of vehicles failed their MOT test for ‘major’ or ‘dangerous’ defects, that is, those defects most likely to have an impact on road safety. The MOT test ensures that vehicles with such defects cannot be driven legally, and is an important part of ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safe. The vast majority of road accidents are caused by driver error. Estimates are that only around 2% of accidents are directly caused by mechanical vehicle defects.

Speed Limits

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what speed restrictions apply to cyclists in 20 mile per hour zones; and what is their policy on ensuring all road users observe speed limits, whatever their mode of transport.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Speed limits are designed for motor vehicles, and do not apply to cyclists. Enforcement of speed limits is for the police. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners are operationally independent and how roads policing is undertaken, and available resources are deployed, is the responsibility of individual chief officers, taking into account the specific local circumstances.

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat the parking of motor vehicles on pavements; and what assessment have they made of the effect of such parking on those with sight or mobility impairments.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to combat the problem of pavement parking, which especially causes issues for those with sight or mobility impairments.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department carried out a public consultation on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem, which ran from 31 August 2020 to 22 November 2020. Members of the public, including many who identified as having mobility or vision impairments, and organisations including those representing people with disabilities, participated. The consultation received over 15,000 responses. The Department has been carefully analysing the consultation responses and will publish the findings as soon as possible.

Chiltern Tunnel: Construction

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any substance which is considered to be hazardous to (1) pollinator populations, (2) aquatic life, (3) animals, or (4) humans, is being used in the construction of the Chilterns Tunnel as part ofthe HS2 development.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: All construction projects use substances that have the potential to cause harm if not used or controlled appropriately. All substances HS2 consider using (whether hazardous or not) are permissible within UK law and are subject to detailed risk assessment to assess the potential risk they pose.With respect to construction of the Chilterns Tunnel, substances are reviewed by the Environment Agency and Affinity Water who are required to provide their consent before use. Their use is also subject to appropriate site management and monitoring regimes to avoid adverse impacts. This includes assessment of groundwater to determine if any substances are present at a concentration that could represent a risk.All substances have been selected based on their suitability for their primary purpose and the specific environmental sensitivities of this location. Risks are assessed as being low because of how and where the substances or materials will be used. There is no pathway from the substances used during tunnelling activity to pollinators, whether or not a substance being used is deemed hazardous to them. No significant risks have been identified to aquatic life or animals with the substances to be used.

Ministry of Justice

Prison Accommodation: Mother and Baby Units

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of how many additional spaces will need to be provided in Mother and Baby Units as part of the work to build 500 new places for (1) women, and (2) trans men, in prison.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The programme to deliver up to 500 additional prison places in the women’s estate does not include delivering additional places in Mother and Baby Units. The current provision provided for Mother and Baby Units is forecast to continue to be sufficient with the increase in prison places. Our new accommodation design supports transgender needs as required by legislation and prison policy. This includes ensuring that there are adequate areas that support the disclosing of information and private conversations. Single-cell occupancy will also support privacy and dignity, with in-cell sanitation facilities included in designs.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Israel: Palestinians

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask the government of Israel (1) to freeze settlement building in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, (2) to enable the development of Palestinian-owned land in Area C, and (3) to increase trade and employment; and what plans they have to ask the Palestinian Authority to respond with confidence-building measures.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly calls on Israel to end illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank and closely monitors reports of further settlement advancements. We also call bilaterally, and in international fora, for Israel to provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.We continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions on movement, access and trade are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of comments by the Prime Minister of Israel in an interview with The New York Times, published on 24 August, that he will oppose the creation of a Palestinian state and expand Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains committed to making progress towards a two-state solution. Our position on settlements is clear: they are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We urge the Government of Israel to cease its policies related to settlement expansion immediately, and instead work towards the establishment of a Palestinian state along 1967 lines, with its capital in East Jerusalem. We also call bilaterally and in international fora, for Israel to provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

Gaza: Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increased cross-border fighting in Gaza; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel to prevent any escalation and ensure adequate living conditions for the local population.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have made clear our concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, including significant damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure including homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics. The UK priority now is ensuring timely humanitarian access into and out of Gaza, including for essential health services. We are urging the Government of Israel to ensure this access is maintained.

Tunisia: Politics and Government

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take in response to the president of Tunisia's suspension of the Tunisian parliament, including the immunity of its members.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia. We recognise the legitimate demands of its people for a better standard of living and honest, effective governance. We believe that the solution to Tunisia's challenges can only be achieved through the principles of democracy, transparency, respect for human rights, and free speech. Minister Cleverly spoke to Tunisian Foreign Minister Jerandi on 11 August. G7 Ambassadors in Tunis, led by the UK, issued a joint statement on 6 September setting out our joint position.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about licensing Palestinian water authorities to operate in Area C of the West Bank in order (1) to drill additional wells, or (2) to install booster pumps.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has raised the issue of access to water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Ash Dieback Disease

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the number of roadside ash trees in England, (2) how many of these trees will need to be felled due to ash dieback, and (3) the average cost of felling and removing each tree.

Lord Benyon: The Government has a long-established Ash Dieback Health and Safety Taskforce comprising the Forestry Commission, Natural England and key stakeholders such as the National Trust, Woodland Trust, Tree Council, CLA, Arboricultural Association, Highways Agency, Network Rail and ten Local Authorities, which meets regularly and guides our approach on reducing the impact of ash dieback on public health and safety. Working with the Health and Safety Taskforce, we estimate that there are approximately four million ash trees situated alongside roads, of which a large proportion (approximately 1.4 million) will need to be managed. The costs of felling a tree can vary considerably, and we have used case study examples to help inform assessments – these examples range from £400-£500. A strategic approach to planning and coordination can help reduce costs, and to support Local Authorities and other regional bodies dealing with ash dieback, Defra has worked with the Tree Council to develop an Ash Dieback Toolkit. The Government has recently announced a new Tree Health pilot, which is designed to support action against pests and diseases affecting trees, the pilot includes support for diseased and infested trees outside of woodland, for example roadside ash with ash dieback.

Home Office

Immigration: EU Nationals

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many permissionsunderthe EU Settlement Scheme have been granted to date to (a)EEA, and (b) non-EEA, nationalfamily members of the main applicants, for settled and pre-settled status, and(2) how many applications under the EU Settlement Scheme have been received to datefrom individualsnotliving in the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes data on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in the ‘EU Settlement Scheme statistics’.The latest published information on EUSS applications concluded to 30 June 2021, by nationality and outcome type can be found in table EUSS_03_UK available at: EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics, June 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).EUSS_03_UK: EU Settlement Scheme: concluded applications by outcome type and nationality, 28 August 2018 to 30 June 2021 - UK total Country of nationalityTotalof which are Settledof which are Pre-settledof which are Refusedof which are Withdrawn or Voidof which are InvalidTotal5,444,5502,846,8202,327,850109,43080,60079,730Total EU 275,065,5702,725,8302,103,51094,80068,01073,330The vast majority of EUSS applications are associated with a UK address, although there is no requirement to give a UK address and applications can be made in-country or in some cases from overseas. In our latest publication, we reported that “total applications include small numbers of records (1.6%) where locational data is not currently in an analysable form from live systems.” This proportion includes applications associated with a non-UK address.

British Nationality: Children

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 13 July (HL1540), how long after the Supreme Court's final judgment they expect to publish the outcome of the section 55 review of child citizenship fees.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office will publish the outcome of section 55 review at the earliest opportunity following consideration of the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment.

Migrant Workers: Large Goods Vehicle Drivers

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toallow EU drivers to return on temporary visas as skilled workers.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK Government is closely monitoring labour supply and working with sector leaders to promote jobs, training, and a range of other initiatives to get more people into HGV driving. Similar challenges are being faced by other countries around the world, with shortages of truck drivers being reported in the EU and the United States of America.Following the UK leaving the EU and ending free movement, our points-based immigration system looks at what skills and talent people have, rather than whether they hold an EU or Non-EU passport.Like other sectors the focus for transport should be on training and recruiting from the UK based workforce in the first instance. Our Plan for Jobs is helping people across the country retrain, build new skills and get back into work. The Government encourages all sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and investment, plus dealing with the reasons behind the long term under representation of women in parts of the workforce. Immigration policy is not about providing an alternative to these necessary actionsThe Government therefore has no plans to introduce a temporary visa scheme for heavy goods vehicle drivers.

Migrant Workers: Visas

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have received from (1) the National Farmers’ Union, (2) the Food and Drink Federation, and (3) the Road Haulage Association, regarding the desirability of introducing a short-term visa system for foreign workers; and what has been their response.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government has received representations from a range of organisations, including the National Farmers’ Union, the Food and Drink Federation and the Road Haulage Association, regarding the requirement to introduce a short-term visa system for foreign workers.The Government position remains we will not be introducing a short-term visa allowing recruitment at or near the minimum wage with no work-based training requirements. Immigration must be considered alongside investment in, and development of, the UK's domestic labour force, rather than as an alternative to it. This is especially relevant in light of the many UK workers who face an uncertain future given the economic impacts of the pandemic and the end of the furlough scheme. Employers facing recruitment difficulties should in the first instance engage with the Department for Work and Pension about the support they can provide.The UK Government is closely monitoring labour supply and working with economic sector leaders to promote jobs, training, and a range of other initiatives.

British Nationality: Children

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the revised policy guidance on applications for registration of minors as British citizens by discretion under section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, following their commitment to conduct a review of the policy guidance in settling proceedings brought by five teenagers assisted by the Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens in the High Court in April.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are committed to our review of the policy, but due to ongoing litigation, we do not anticipate completing it until a more appropriate time.

Immigration: Hong Kong

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how manyBritish National (Overseas)visas have been granted,including to dependants,since 31 January, (2)how many individuals have been granted leave outside the Immigration Rules at the UK border since 1 January, and(3) how many British National (Overseas)passports issued each month since January.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: (1),(2)The Home Office publishes data on visas and the British National Overseas (BN(O)) route in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ on GOV.UK:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe data relates to the first and second quarter of 2021, January to June, and are derived from management information. These statistics include data on main applicants and dependants and are rounded to the nearest hundred. Data for Q3 2021 will be published on 25 November 2021.(3)The table below provides the number of British National (Overseas) passports issued to customers each month since January 2021. *Month BNO Passports Issued January13,315February8,217March7,032April4,747May4,192June3,141July2,728August5,613 *These figures are correct at the time of reporting and subject to change.

Immigration: Afghanistan

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether dual British-Afghan nationals (1) are, and (2) will be treated as if they are, British nationals, for the purposes of relocation from Afghanistan to the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: A British national will always be treated as such, irrespective of whether they hold nationality of a second country.

Scotland Office

Devolution: Scotland

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of the Scottish Government in respect of their actions in areas reserved under the devolution agreements.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK Government is committed to respecting and strengthening the devolution settlements. We engage closely with the Scottish Government on Scotland Act Orders, which were established under the Scotland Act 1998, to help manage the Scottish devolution settlement. The Scotland Act 1998 sets out mechanisms in the event of activity which may be contrary to the Scottish devolution settlement. The UK Government engages regularly with the Scottish Government in a wide range of other areas, including on the collective challenges we face, such as our recovery from Covid-19. The UK Government reports quarterly on intergovernmental engagement and activity with the Scottish Government and other devolved administrations.

Scottish Government: Communication

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byViscount Younger of Leckie on 9 September (HL2410), what topics were covered in the11 letters (attached to emails) that the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland received from Scottish Ministers in relation to reserved matters; and what plans they have to publish these letters.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: UK Government Ministers and Scottish Government Ministers regularly communicate on a range of matters. There is a strong public interest in allowing Ministers a private space within which to communicate, discuss and share information. Therefore, we do not routinely publish interministerial letters and we have no plans to publish these letters or their contents.

Department for International Trade

Trade Promotion

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatfactors determine which of the UK's trading partners areallocated a trade envoy.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Programme supports British businesses overseas and attracts investment into the UK. The programme works in collaboration with other trade promotion activities, and it focuses on emerging and high growth markets where additional senior interactions can be valuable, or larger economies where multiple interactions at different levels are effective. Trade Envoys are appointed to markets where there are opportunities to increase bilateral trade. The Department for International Trade is constantly reviewing suitable countries, regions, and markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to the trade and investment aims of the UK, with the Prime Minister ultimately making the decision to appoint.

Trade Promotion

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they apply to the appointment of trade envoys; and what remuneration and expenses, including for travel, they are they entitled to receive.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. They are chosen based on relevant skills and experience required to undertake the role. This experience can be related to their assigned market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel. The trade envoy role is voluntary. No remuneration is paid to trade envoys. The Department for International Trade meets the cost of travel and subsistence when trade envoys travel overseas, as well as any other incidental costs incurred by the trade envoys when they fulfil their role.